By KK Agrawal
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In the growing season of 2000, I recorded the growth of the leaf
of Victoria Longwood Hybrid # 00L72. The recording of the time
and growth was started when the leaf had fully reached the surface.
At that time it measured 16 inches. The growth showed a regular
pattern in day as well as night time except that in the afternoon
the growth was at a higher rate.
The most interesting part was that when a fresh leaf spreads on water, the configuration of the leaf almost resembles a parachute with all its wrinkled cloth and ropes. The leaf goes on growing with its wrinkles smoothing out slowly as the leaf gets bigger and bigger and the growth stops suddenly only to grow out 1 or 2 inches more in a few days time. In the parachute also the expansion stops as soon as the ropes holding out the cloth reaches its maximum length. What a true copy!
In another experiment, I wanted to learn the growth rate of stems suddenly submerged in deeper water. The pad measured was of 16 inches diameter. I lowered the pot so that the leaf got submerged in water 10.5 inches below the previous water level. The results are as follows:
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10:25 A.M. 11:45 A.M. 01:05 P.M. 03:05 P.M. 04:10 P.M. 07:10 P.M. 09:15 P.M. |
10.50 inches 09.00 inches 08.50 inches 06.75 inches 05.00 inches 01.50 inches Floating |
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